Combustibles
by Insolent Lynx
Summary: My submissions for JackaLu Week 2016. When Lucy seeks a new life in Crocus, she gets more than she bargained for when her big heart gets her into some explosive trouble. Finding herself working two jobs with a demon following her around like a... well, puppy, can she teach this demon how to feel, or will it all blow up in her face? Rated M because things.
1. Summon

**Hello, everyone. Lynx is back from the dead. Yaay! Seriously it's been years since I've really written anything, so this is really just me getting back into the swing of things. Thought I'd give this a shot. So here ya go, even though it's a day late and probably a few dollars short. Drop a review if you don't mind. And now... Something a little different.**

 _Summon_

The gardens of the royal city of Crocus were always an impressive sight. Year round, the capital was covered in an array of colorful blooms and sweet, heady scents. The gardens were a beautiful attraction that had tourists flocking in from all over the kingdom. However, the appeal of the large, bright blooms and colorful blossoms was lost on one Lucy Heartfillia. She sat quietly on a bench, clutching a broken key in her hands and staring sightlessly at the ground in front of her. It had been just over a month since the guild had disbanded. Just over a month since her world had shattered in every way possible. It was all gone. Her home, her family... And Aquarius. Her small hand tightened around the shattered key as she took a shaky breath.

"Come on, Lucy," She chided herself, "You didn't come all this way to cry more."

The first two weeks had been unbearable for the blond. Her nights were plagued by nightmares, and her waking hours weren't much better as she watched her family slowly dissolve around her. To be completely honest, she was surprised that she even had any tears left. The decision to leave Magnolia had been made about a week ago. Lucy had finally accepted that the guild was gone, and that she would have to move on as well. She'd cried then, too. And so, she'd spent the week packing her things and having Virgo store them for her in the Celestial Realm. Choosing a destination was another difficult thing. She wanted somewhere she could get a fresh start, but she and her team had been all over Fiore during their adventures, so finding a place that didn't have memories attached to it was next to impossible. In the end, Lucy had pulled out a map of the kingdom and asked Plue to blindly choose a spot. Wherever his little paw landed would be her destination.

And so here she was, in the blooming capital of the kingdom. She'd arrived earlier in the afternoon, and had decided to walk around a bit before looking for a more permanent place to stay. The Honeybone Inn had been more than accommodating when she'd made reservations there, agreeing to simply put her on a per-night tab rather than have her try to guess how long it would take to settle into an apartment. Another sigh was pulled from the blond as she pondered her next task. It all seemed so arduous. She still wasn't sleeping well, and the fatigue had long shown in her appearance. Her eyes were dull, dark bags standing out against too-pale skin. Her appetite had suffered as well, and while that wasn't as apparent as her sleeplessness, it did cause her to tire more easily. Her eyelids drooped a bit, and she shook herself. Yes, she was exhausted, but she did need to at least make an attempt to get things in order. She needed an appropriate place to live, and a job to support herself. Joining another guild was out of the question. To Lucy, it felt like a betrayal to her family, and she couldn't stand the thought of removing the Fairy Tail insignia from her hand, anyway. She stood, stretching and tucking the broken key back into her pocket before heading back into the town. She figured there would be a place to peruse local real estate listings somewhere around...

* * *

A frustrated groan escaped her. Why were apartments here so expensive? She knew her place in Magnolia had been a steal, but looking at the prices here was giving her a new sense of adoration for her old landlady. She took another sip of her coffee and looked at another page of listings.

"You're looking too close to the main city," a voice observed from behind.

Lucy looked up at the woman who often took her order at the cafe. She was a tall woman a little older than Lucy, with charcoal grey hair and calm, lavender eyes. The woman took Lucy's confusion as a cue to continue, "The closer you are to the hustle and bustle of the city, the more expensive housing is going to be. You should look for something a little farther away; Crocus has an extremely affordable trolley system, so it wouldn't cause too much of a problem for you to head into town... Besides, you look like you could use some peace and quiet... And a refill on your coffee. Three sugars and two creams, right?"

"Uh... Yeah," Lucy replied slowly, only now noticing that her cup was another small sip away from empty, "Thanks."

"Hey, no problem," the woman chirped as she set down a fresh cup and a plate with a large cinnamon bun on it. Lucy was about to protest, but the woman held up a hand, "This one's on me, kiddo. You look like you could use some food in you, and a nice, warm sweet roll will do you some good. Maybe get some color back into that pretty face. Ciao, kid."

The blond was left staring dumbly after the waitress before shaking herself and tearing off a small piece of the roll. She hummed happily; it was still warm and gooey and just generally delicious, even as she turned her real estate search outward from the center of the city.

* * *

"Princess, are you sure this is the place?" Virgo asked her master skeptically as they both stared at the small cottage Lucy had decided to look at that morning.

"Uh-huh," Lucy nodded as she double checked the address.

It was a modest little building situated at the top of a small hill overlooking the main city. It was a three bedroom, two and a half bathroom home that was listed at a surprisingly low cost. It was the price that had piqued Lucy's interest, but now she could see why it was so inexpensive. The creepy vibe in this place was strong. But at five thousand jewel per month, including utilities, Lucy was willing to overlook the less than charming aesthetic.

"Shall we?" She asked nervously as she slid the skeleton key into the lock. Virgo nodded, though her eyes still scanned the area cautiously. Virgo had been a wonderful aid in househunting, using her skills to find any potential problems and keeping Lucy positive during their search. However, she held her breath alongside her master as the door swung open on creaky hinges. The outside of the cottage was a grey and black pattern of stonework, with creeping ivy almost obscuring it completely. The door was heavy wood with an iron knocker that looked like a gargoyle's head, and the darkened windows seemed to have iron bars across them. The spirit of the maiden heaved a sigh as she took in the living area of the house. Peeling paint, moth eaten furniture, and windows so grimy she doubted light would filter through even if it hadn't been a misty, grey sort of morning. The rest of the house was much the same, although the appliances were in good working order and the structure was sound. The tilework in the kitchen and bathrooms, while filthy, was also in good condition, and Lucy had fallen in love with the iron clawfoot bathtub in the master bathroom.

"What did you think, Virgo?"

"The structure is in good condition, Princess. The only problems I could note were aesthetic."

"I thought so... I think I'll go for it. With a little soap and some paint... And maybe some more soap, I think this place will clean up nicely."

Another week saw Lucy fully moved into the newly polished cottage. Aries had created new cushions and recovered the furniture and Taurus had sanded down and re-stained the wood work in the home. Virgo and Loke had helped clean and paint, while Cancer had been more than happy to tame the creeping Ivy that threatened to strangle the small home. He'd even managed to make window boxes out of the iron bars that had been on the windows, which now sported brightly colored flowers. A wreath of flowers now decorated the door in place of the sinister door knocker. Overall, Lucy was quite pleased with how the house had transformed. She'd painted the place in pale shades of blue and green, opting for bright pops of pink and purple on the furniture, contrasting with the naturally dark hardwood floors and tiles. It felt nicer now, and her first night snuggling under her pink comforter in her new bed was also the first decent night's sleep she'd had since the Tartarus incident.

Unfortunately, the peace was not to last.

* * *

Lucy had been earning money by doing some off and on modeling for Sorcerer Weekly to pay rent and cover her other expenses, but as it turned out, she actually kind of hated it. It was awkward for her, as she wasn't nearly as confident in her looks as she claimed to be, so the thought of finding another job was a tempting one. Especially when her current job had her in the middle of nowhere... Or more accurately, the cliffs well away from the city. Lucy had opted to walk back rather than take the carriage with the others. As much as she appreciated the opportunities Jason had provided her, his hyperactive nature had been especially draining on her today. Lucy stretched slightly as she pulled a jacket over her shoulders. Though the capital was mild, up here in the rocky cliffs was a good deal cooler, and Lucy was again thankful for the foresight her maid spirit possessed when she had packed Lucy's bag. Currently, the blond stood on one of the higher outcroppings, looking over the bright, sprawling city that she now called home. It was nice, to sink into some sense of normalcy, she thought, a small but genuine smile on her face.

"Well, well, well..."

The smile evaporated at the voice, along with all the color in her face. Lucy jumped, spinning around with a hand at her keys. Warm brown eyes met a single, narrowed gold orb.

"Y-you... You're dead. I-"

"Nah," Jackal shot her a fanged grin, "I can't die as long as this," he held up a book, "is intact."

"Open! Gate of the-"

"Calm down, blondie," Jackal snapped, "As much as I'd like to get you back for what you did to me, I'm still feeling like shit from the last time, so chill the fuck out."

Lucy gaped at him, and he merely shrugged in response, "Takes a lot to pop out of my book, especially so soon after recovering."

"Then why bother?" Lucy asked warily, hand still at her keys.

"I was bored. Why are you out here all on your own? Aren't you usually with that fire-eater?"

Lucy flinched as her eyes hardened a bit, "He's not here. The guild disbanded after the war with Tartarus."

Jackal burst out laughing, "Oh, that's rich. After everything you did to save them, only to have them bail on you!"

Lucy let out a slow breath, refusing to let his taunting get to her, no matter how much it hurt, "And what about you? Tartarus is no more, so you're alone too."

"Like I give a damn."

"You're not sad?"

"What the hell does that even mean?

Lucy frowned at him, "You've never been sad? What about happy or angry or-"

"Look, chick, I'm a demon. I don't do human emotions and all that feelings garbage. That's what makes us so much stronger."

"Does it?" Lucy asked, more to herself than the demon before her.

"Yeah, obviously," Jackal answered anyway, "You do stupid shit because that little human heart "feels" like it."

"So what's your excuse, then?" In hindsight, it was probably a really bad idea to say that, but it had slipped out before she could stop it. Seeing the shocked, almost affronted expression on Jackal's face before he blew her up just about made it worth it... Except he didn't. Instead, another howl of laughter escaped him, "You've got fire, blondie, insulting me like that when I could blow up your pretty head."

"Why didn't you?"

His laughter stopped abruptly, turning into a scowl, "Why've you gotta ask so many damned questions?"

"You can't, can you? Use your curse power, I mean."

"That's right. Because I summoned myself, my power is greatly decreased. It's a strain to even stay out here."

"Then why didn't you just stay in your book?"

"Do you know what it's like to be trapped in a place with no idea what to do with yourself, no one to talk to?"

"Yes," Lucy nodded, "So you would rather be defenseless than stay in that book..."

Jackal moved faster than she'd been prepared for, pinning her roughly to the cliffside by the neck, "Oh, I'm defenseless, am I? I don't need my curse power to crush you, but it would have made it a lot more fun."

"Your grip isn't as strong as it was," Lucy whispered.

He released her suddenly with a curse, frustration rolling off of him in waves. Lucy rubbed her throat slightly, before looking at the book clutched in his other clawed hand.

"What if I summon you?"

"That would take a colossal amount of power; you'd probably pass out or some shit- wait what?"

"If I summoned you," Lucy said slowly, "would you be at full power?"

"Yes?" Jackal answered slowly, "But why the hell would you-"

"You can't hurt your summoner, correct?"

"Ehhh, technically I just can't kill you. But if you summoned me to give me my strength back, I guess I could play nice."

Lucy gazed at him thoughtfully for a few moments, weighing the pros and cons of such an arrangement.

"I don't know how long I could hold your gate open," she admitted quietly.

"Gate? I dont' have a gate. Summoning a demon is a one-time thing until we "die" or are banished back into the book," Jackal explained, "But because of that, summoning me would take way more magic than one of those puny spirit key things."

Lucy bit the inside of her cheek, "Alright. I'll do it. I'll summon you. But I have conditions."

"Let me guess: Don't kill anyone."

"Or blow anything up without reason. _Good_ reason. Don't hurt people, and don't get into trouble."

Jackal rolled his eyes, "Tch, how boring. So I'll be little more than a house pet."

"That's not true. I'm sure we can find a more productive outlet for your curse power, and you might find that there are plenty of other fun things to do than hurt people and destroy things," Lucy scolded, "Now then... I assume the proper protocol for summoning you will be in the book?"

"Ah... Yeah. Right here," Jackal flipped the book open to a page, but hesitated in handing it over, narrowing his eyes at her, "Why are you doing this, though?"

Lucy shrugged, "I just feel like it. You don't feel, so you wouldn't understand."

"How do I know you won't kill me once I hand over my book?"

"You could have killed me just a moment ago, but you didn't. I said I'd summon you, and I don't go back on my word. That said, I'll probably be weakened after I summon you-"

"You will absolutely pass out."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him, "Well then we'd better head home first. Good thing I have that extra room," She added, more to herself.

"Wait, you want me to live with you, too?"

"I'm the one summoning you; you'll be my responsibility. Since you won't return to your book, you'll need somewhere to stay. I'm not going to summon you, then put you out on the streets."

"I... You... Humans are so _bizarre_."

"Says the guy with the puppy ears."

"Hey! Not my fault, one; and two, I'm kind of fond of my ears, thank you!"

Lucy found herself laughing for the first time since the guild had disbanded. It occurred to her that the whole thing was odd. The one who had caused her all kinds of pain and more than a few nightmares, was now chasing away the shadows in her heart. She shook her head of the thoughts and started back down the path, waving for the demon to follow.

"How much further?" Jackal complained, even though he hadn't broken a sweat.

"Another five or so miles, I think," Lucy guessed.

"Seriously?! What the fuck were you doing so far from your home, you idiot?"

Lucy shrugged, "I had a modeling job at the cliffs. A carriage brought us there from the city, but I opted to walk back instead."

"Why?"

"Just wanted to be alone, I guess. Not that I mind the company, of course."

"You should mind my company."

Lucy paused in her stride, "Maybe. But it wouldn't change anything. Holding a grudge against you wouldn't do anyone any good."

He was quiet after that, up until Lucy unlocked the door to the cottage and gestured for him to enter first.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Jackal asked as he handed her the book.

"I can help you, so I will," Lucy nodded, "Besides, this lets me keep an eye on you and make sure you don't cause trouble," She added with a small smile.

"Yeah, yeah... Fucking killjoy," he groused as he disappeared back into his book.

Lucy took a deep, steadying breath before beginning the incantation. Loke had been screaming protests at her through their link from the moment she'd suggested it, but she'd ignored him pointedly. It wasn't in Lucy's nature to turn her back on someone she could help, even if that someone was Jackal. Almost immediately, she felt a sharp tug on her magic. Still, she continued to channel a steady flow of her magic into the summoning, watching as the glowing red and orange circle appeared on her area rug. As she finished the incantation, there was an alarming drain on her magic, but she managed to stay standing as Jackal re-emerged from the book.

"That wasn't so bad," She panted, giving him a triumphant grin. Jackal, for his part, seemed appropriately impressed. He dropped to a knee, bowing, "So then, Master. What do you ask of me?"

Lucy shook her head, "Lucy."

"What?"

"My name is Lucy. I'm not your master. That wasn't part of our agreement. All I ask is that you adhere to the conditions we agreed on. Other than that, I don't intend to boss you around or force you into anything. If I need or want your help, I'll ask, just as I do with my spirits," The summoner explained as she gestured for him to stand and offered her hand to shake. He eyed it warily, "Wha-"

"Give me your hand."

"...Okaay?" Perplexed, he grasped her hand in his, growing more confused when she gripped back and gave it a few shakes before letting go.

"That's a handshake. You do that when you meet someone," Lucy explained.

"You already met me, idiot," Jackal mumbled, flexing his hand experimentally.

"Not officially, really. We were just enemies," Lucy argued, before sinking into the couch with a small groan, "Okay, _now_ it sucks."

Jackal chuckled at her, "But you're still conscious. More than I was expecting for such a small human."

"Did you just call me short?"

"You are short. C'mere blondie, you need to rest or you're gonna be sick as hell." He ignored Lucy's small squeak of protest as he lifted her into his arms, "Where's your den?"

"Bedroom," Lucy corrected, despite the way her head was spinning, "Down the hall, door on the right. Yours is across from mine, next to it is a bathroom."

"That's the same goddamn thing!" Jackal whined slightly, heading in the correct direction, "Fucking humans and their fancy vocabularies..." He dropped her on the bed rather roughly, smirking at her small "oof" before leaning over her.

"Uh... Jackal? What are you doing?" Lucy asked slowly as he rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Scent marking you. It'll make it easier for me to find you if you call for me."

"If I call for you?"

"Yeah. You know, if you're, like, in danger or whatever. I'll come."

"You just wanna blow people up," Lucy teased quietly as her eyelids drooped.

Jackal grinned slightly, tugging the comforter up to her chin, "Can't fool you, can I blondie?"

"Didn't know you cared so much."

"I don't. But if you die, then it's back to that damn book for me. So it's in my best interest to keep you alive," Jackal answered quickly, "Now go to sleep already."

"Goodnight, Jackal."

"Yeah, whatever," He huffed, leaving the room and snapping the door shut behind him. Lucy sighed as she let her eyes close, "Oh, Lucy... What have you got yourself into now?"


	2. Barter

_Barter_

The next morning greeted Lucy with a headache and a minor case of nausea... And Loke.

"I told you it was a terrible idea," He frowned at her.

Lucy sighed; it was too early for this, but she decided to acknowledge her lion spirit anyway, "It's not a terrible idea. He did tell me up front that it would be draining."

"That's not want I meant and you know it."

"He hasn't done anything yet, Loke. Leave it alone for now."

The leader of the zodiac crossed his arms, "What are you saying, 'he hasn't done anything?' Did you forget about what happened not even two months ago?"

"Of course I haven't... But he needed help and I just-"

"Couldn't resist taking in the stray puppy. Lucy, you have a huge heart and I love you for it, but... I don't trust him."

Lucy sat up and fixed her friend with a wry smile, "I seem to recall a stray kitty that I couldn't not help either. And I don't think he expects you to trust him, Loke. Well, it's more likely that he doesn't care either way."

"And that's what worries me."

"He said he can't kill me."

Loke rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses, "Ohh, great. So he can still totally maim or injure you."

"Yeah. He could. But he hasn't. He had several opportunities yesterday and he didn't take them."

"Probably just waiting-"

Lucy cut him off with a chuckle, "Jackal's not patient enough for that. If I learned anything from him when he was in Tartaros, it was that he hates waiting. For anything. Calm down, Loke. If it really comes down to it I can just banish him back to his book, but for now let's just see what happens. I get the feeling he's a little more lonely than he lets on."

"How do you do that?"

"Hm? Do what?"

"That thing where you just look past everything and find a way to be compassionate to literally anyone. It's baffling. I mean, yeah, it's amazing how gentle your heart is, but I worry about you, Princess."

Lucy tipped her head thoughtfully, "You know, Jackal said something similar yesterday. He said that demons were stronger than humans, because they can't- or won't- feel emotions. He said our hearts lead us to make stupid decisions."

"Sometimes, yeah."

"I can't help but feel that was something of a jab, Leo the Lion," Lucy muttered dryly.

"What? Nah. Listen, Lucy. I know you want to help him, but he is a demon and none of us are really keen on this idea. We'll help you however we can, but..."

"I know. Thanks. I'd better get up an at 'em. I think it's time to look for a second source of income. The modeling jobs are fine and all, but they're not really steady enough now that I've got another mouth to feed... I just hope he doesn't eat like Natsu."

"I don't think anyone can eat like that guy... He's a pig, not a dragon... A pragon, or something."

The two of them dissolved into giggles, probably at their attempts to picture a pig-dragon hyrbid with spikey pink hair, before Loke stood, "I'll leave you to it, Princess. You know you can call any of us if that demon of yours steps one paw out of line."

"Got it, Loke.:

"Oh, and Lucy? ...You smell weird."

Lucy gaped at him as he disappeared in a shower of gold sparkles, "Well, thanks." She shook her head, deciding not to worry about Loke's strange admission for now. She'd lived around dragon slayers long enough that the whole sniffing thing was easily brushed off, even if the lion spirit had never commented on her scent before.

"He was probably just messing with me," She mumbled to herself as she pulled out a fresh set of clothes for the day. The weather in crocus was mild lately, so she chose a magenta tank top and a light, spring green lace bolero to wear over white capris, then headed into the adjacent bathroom. She opted for a shower this morning, favoring speed over relaxation, and once dressed, headed into the kitchen to make breakfast.

It was as she was frying up some bacon to go with the pancakes she'd made that Jackal stumbled into the kitchen.

"What the fuck are you doing and why does it smell like heaven?"

Lucy almost dropped the spatula as she laughed at him, "I'm making breakfast, which should answer both questions," She took a moment to look him over. His eyes were narrowed in a mixture of curiosity and sleepiness, and his golden hair stuck up at odd angles. With difficulty, she held in a snort at his disheveled appearance, "I'm guessing you're not a morning person?"

"Mornings are awful and should be blown up."

"I'm not sure how that would work, but I guess I understand the sentiment. How many pancakes do you want?"

Jackal looked at her like she'd grown an extra set of limbs, "How many what the fucks?"

Lucy blinked at him a moment as the revelation that he had no idea what pancakes were sank in, then decided to take it in stride, "Two. Got it."

She set a plate of two pancakes and three slices of bacon in front of him, "Please tell me you at least know what silverware is and how to use it."

"Yeah, I got that, but what are these fluffy circle-y things-"

"Those are pancakes. You eat them. I recommend butter and syrup," Lucy replied, doctoring her own plate to her liking.

"Syrup?"

"The brown liquid in the bottle to your left. Goes on after butter. Just... Give it a shot."

It was quickly discovered that Jackal liked pancakes, but Lucy wondered if it wouldn't be more advantageous to serve them in a bowl with all the syrup he used.

"Any particular reason you're staring at me, blondie?"

Lucy blinked, "Was I? Sorry. I was just thinking we'll need to go shopping for some things for you."

"Like what?"

"A leash."

"You do and you're- that's not funny!"

Lucy tried and failed to smother her giggles with her hand, "It kind of is. But in all seriousness, a few sets of clothes would be a good start, bathing products that suit you, since I doubt you want wander around smelling like vanilla and cherry blossoms. Maybe some different bedding, if you don't like what was in your room."

She thought back to how she'd decorated it. The walls were a quiet shade of sage green with cornflower blue and gold bedding.

"Eh... It was fine, I guess. I don't really care about that stuff."

"So cherry blossoms-"

Jackal huffed, "I meant about the bed clothes or whatever."

Lucy choked on her milk, "Bed clothes?"

"Yeah, the clothes on the bed... Isn't one of 'em called a skirt?"

Well, she couldn't argue with him there. Still chuckling slightly, she shook her head, "We'll just call the whole outfit bedding, okay? And you're fine with it?"

"Kept me warm, so yeah."

"Fair enough. Let me wash these up and we can go into town and get you some things," Lucy said as she collected the dishes and absently called Plue.

"Uh... What the hell is that?"

"That's Plue, spirit of the little dog."

"That's not a dog, blondie. It's a snowman. A really wobbly snowman."

"Pun-puuun!"

Lucy shrugged, "You looked more like a cat the first time we ran into you. You shouldn't judge so much by appearance."

Jackal rolled his eyes, "That's because Lamy wanted me to be cuter or some shit."

"Hmm, I dunno, I kind of like the fluffier one better."

"I know, right!? But anyway, this thing is not a-" he cut himself off with a slight growl as Plue snuggled her leg as she finished putting the dishes away.

"Jackal?" Lucy blinked as the demon was suddenly in her personal space. He nuzzled her again, this time at the crook of her neck.

"Oookaay? Plue! What in the... Oh." Lucy fought the urge to facepalm. Two dogs, trying to mark their territory, "Look guys, you're both staying, so you're gonna have to get used to each other. So stop that and play nice, got it?"

Plue cooed agreeably, but Jackal crossed his arms and glared at her, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," Lucy placated, not really wanting to argue with the demon at the moment.

* * *

Shopping with Jackal, Lucy decided, was worse than fighting against him. Thankfully, the'd managed to find a few more articles of clothing for him, along with some mild smelling bathing products- anything else agitated his nose, which she supposed was only natural. Presently, she was attempting to get him to agree to use said bath products, as his ears flattened every time she mentioned the word bath in any form.

"I'm not dirty though!" He whined as Lucy uselessly tried to push him into the other full bathroom.

"That's not the point! It's a matter of principle! Just shower daily for the sake of company and good hygiene!"

"Demons don't really have principles, you know?"

Lucy growled slightly, "I swear, if you use that excuse one more time, I'm gonna dye your tail pink!"

"Already been done, courtesy of Tempesta after I accidentally blew up his part of the lab."

"Accidentally, he says," Lucy muttered, still pushing against the immovable demon's chest, "Also, why were there no pictures of this?"

"No what?" In his confusion, Jackal took a step back.

"Chance!" Lucy cheered, successfully shoving the demon into the bathroom. She briefly explained what photographs were, before she was hauled over Jackal's shoulder and they left the bathroom.

"Aw, come on!" She bounced as he tossed her onto her bed, pouting at him.

"Looks like I win that one, blondie."

"You're blond, too, mutt. And I'll get you to bathe yet."

"Sure you will."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him as she pulled herself into a sitting position on her bed, gazing thoughtfully at him.

He huffed, "What?"

"Do you really not feel anything?"

"This again? I already told you, that human emotional crap is weakness. Demons aren't weak."

Lucy nibbled on her lower lip, before replying, "But in the end, the demons lost to the humans."

"You had help from fucking dragons, remember?"

"Yes. But you still lost."

Jackal glared at her, "Hey, any time you want a rematch-"

"That wasn't what I was getting at. Just... I don't think...No, never mind. Listen, I've gotta go out for a little while, but I'd like to make a deal with you."

"That's a risky business, blondie."

"Then we'll keep it simple this time. You take a shower by the time I come back, and I will take you for ice cream."

Jackal's ears perked at attention, "What's that?"

"It's a cold, sweet treat. There's lots of flavors, and you can add things on top too, if you want. But if you want to try it, you have to bathe. Deal?"

"Are... Are you bribing me?"

"I'd prefer to think of it as a trade. A shower for a treat."

Jackal seemed to be thinking it over, but the way his tail swished excitedly indicated to Lucy that he'd already made up his mind.

"Hmm, I guess I can deal with that. This ice cream thing better be fucking amazing though."

"I'm sure you'll like it. You seem to have something of a sweet tooth."

"Huh?"

"You like sweet things. Like the syrup this morning."

"Oh. Yeah. That shit was delicious."

Lucy smiled slightly at him, "Right... So, I'll be back in a little while. Don't blow anything up."

* * *

Once again, Lucy found herself sitting on a bench in one of Crocus's many gardens. Her original plan had been to get in a little job hunting, but her mind had quickly wandered.

 _Is it such a bad thing to feel? I mean, yeah, sometimes negative emotions can be horrible, but there are positive ones too. I've had both. I've been so, so sad, especially with Aquarious and the guild, but... I've been happy too. If I had the choice, I don't think I'd trade those happy times for anything, even the option to not feel when things went bad..._

"Well, that's a thinking pose if I've ever seen one."

Lucy's head jerked up as she met the calm lavender gaze of the woman from the cafe, "Oh... Hi."

"Hello. What's eating you?"

"Ah, nothing, really."

The woman raised a silvery eyebrow, "Not sure I buy that; you look like you'll explode if you think any harder."

Lucy rubbed the back of her neck, a habit she'd picked up from Natsu ages ago, "I don't know if I can really explain it to a stranger-"

"I'm Ghost."

"Lucy..."

The two shook hands as Ghost smiled wryly at her, "Now we're not strangers."

Lucy chuckled slightly, "Alright... Well, I guess I'm just trying to figure out if feelings and emotions are a good or bad thing."

"That's an odd thing to ponder. But I guess it depends on time and perspective. You can't just lump it all as good or bad, because sometimes it's both, and sometimes neither."

"I guess that's true... But what if we couldn't feel? Would that be better or worse."

Ghost leaned back against the bench, messing with the side braid she always seemed to wear, "I suppose we might make more informed decisions that way, be less impulsive, but... I also think the world would be a much more lonely place. If you don't mind my asking, what lead you to think about something like this?"

"I have a... A friend, I guess, who doesn't have any emotions. At least that's what he says. I'm not sure if I really believe him."

"You think he just ignores them?"

"Maybe? I don't really know him that well, but the thought of someone never really knowing happiness just... I feel really bad for him."

Ghost chuckled at her, "You've got a sweet soul, Lucy. To feel or not... I don't think one is better than the other, but it may well be a choice for your friend... If anyone could get him to open up though, I'd put my money on you."

"Thanks, I think. Hey, Ghost? Do you know if the cafe is hiring; I could use a-"

"You're hired."

Lucy blinked, "I'm sorry?"

"I own the Cuddly Teacup. You. Are. Hired. Can you be there tomorrow at eight?"

"Uh. Yeah..."

"Great, see you then. Good luck with your demon," Ghost said, hopping up from her place on the bench.

"Wait, how did you know he was-"

"I guessed as much. Don't worry about it, Lucy. See you tomorrow, kiddo!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Jackal was shifting nervously from foot to foot before the bathroom doorway. He mentally berated himself for a few moments more, before crossing the threshold and pondering the single knob that Lucy had attempted to explain to him earlier. He poked it tentatively.

"Nothing, huh?"

A light tug yielded a few drops from the strange UFO looking thing at the top, so he leaned in and tilted his head to get a better look as he gave the knob a stronger tug. In hindsight, he probably should have expected a face full of water, but it still didn't stop the embarrassingly high-pitched shriek that tore from his throat. That water was cold, dammit! Grumbling to himself, he shucked his clothing and stepped into the spray once the water had become less frigid. In the end, it hadn't been as awful an experience as he'd expected. It was almost pleasant, and using the knob to change the temperature had proved amusing to him. So much so that it was a solid hour before he emerged again. He was just finishing getting dressed when his keen ears picked up the sound of the door opening, announcing Lucy's return.

"Yo."

"I see you survived your encounter with the shower," Lucy replied, taking in his wet hair and the faint smell of pine that now clung to him, "You smell nice."

Jackal coughed slightly at the offhanded comment, but regained composure quickly, "Uh, thanks. But it really did attack me."

"I seriously doubt that."

"It did!"

"You didn't blow it up in retribution, did you?"

"No. I wanted to, but I didn't."

Lucy heaved a sigh of relief, "Well, thank you for that. How do you feel about stir fry for dinner?"

"I have no idea what that is."

"Of course you don't. Maybe better to show than to tell. Do you like chicken?"

"Yes! Yes I know what that is and I like it. Yes."

She couldn't help but giggle at his excitement to recognize something, and without thinking, reached out to ruffle one of his ears as she passed him on her way into the kitchen. She didn't look back, so she didn't notice the way the demon froze, eyes glazed and a dazed expression on his face.

* * *

Lucy had resisted the urge to cheer as she was two for two with todays meals. Then again, canines didn't tend to be particularly picky anyway. He'd even eaten the vegetables without complaint; something she hadn't been able to get Natsu to do without bribery or threats... Or both. Currently, the two of them were strolling through the brightly lit town on the way to Lucy's favorite ice cream shop. Not for the first time, Lucy found herself surprised at how easily the two of them were getting along, especially considering their past history. No matter how much Loke harped about it, the Celestial summoner couldn't find it in herself to regret her decision even a little bit.

"Whoa, there's so many flavors!"

Jackal's exclamation pulled her from her thoughts, "Yeah. That's why I love this place. They've got practically anything you could think of."

"Well, fuck. What do I pick?"

Lucy chuckled, "Well, I think I'll get the grasshopper-" She stopped to outright laugh at his expression, "No, it's not made of bugs or anything. It's mint and chocolate flavors. Green and brown, like a grasshopper, but that's where the similarities end. I'll let you try some of it, so you should pick something different."

"Ah, okay. For a second there, I thought you'd somehow gotten weirder."

"Hey!"

"So, _Master,_ any recommendations?" Jackal asked, leaning down closer to her ear. He had to admit, it was equal parts adorable and hilarious, the way she jumped about a foot and her face turned the exact shade of the strawberry creme ice cream he'd been eyeing a moment ago.

"U-uhm, well... You really seem to like sweet things, so I'd bet you'd like the caramel praline."

"And there you go speaking in tongues again," Jackal teased her lightly.

She rolled her eyes at him, even as the strange revelation surfaced for the third time. She decided it was more than fine with her. She'd had enough conflict for several lifetimes, and if things were going smoothly for her now, she was not going to complain.

They sat outside with their ice creams, watching the people come and go. Lucy had been right; Jackal had absolutely been a fan of the caramel ice cream, but he'd liked the mint and chocolate (he still refused to call it grasshopper) as well.

"You look happy," Lucy observed quietly.

"That's not a thing, Lucy," Came the automatic reply.

She shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. But you _look_ happy, so I'm glad for that."

Jackal frowned at her, "Why?"

"Is it such a bad thing to want my friends to be happy, or at least content?"

"Are we friends?"

"Are we not?

"Gah, I hate when you do that. Answer a question with another damn question... Who the fuck does that?"

Lucy shook her head at him, "I do, apparently. What I meant was that I consider you a friend of sorts. I was asking if you felt the same."

"I don't feel anything, blondie. We've been over this."

"Not what I meant. It's just a way of saying things. Do you consider me a friend."

"I don't know," Jackal answered slowly, "Everything gets complicated with you, but not in a way that makes me want to blow things up. I look at you and I get really confused, but it's actually fine, because it's also warm."

"I start a new job tomorrow. I have to be to work by eight," Though it appeared she was changing the subject, Lucy was over the moon at what he'd said. She'd been right after all. It wasn't that he simply couldn't feel, it was more that he didn't know what feelings were and what they meant. That much she could work with.

"When will you come home?"

"Four in the afternoon."

"Man, that's gonna be boring as hell!"

"I can summon Plue."  
Jackal winced, "Please don't."

"Oh, come on. You two are actually fairly similar, what with your sweet tooths and such. Just give him a chance, please?"

"Fine. But what am I supposed to do with him?"

"I'm giving you free reign as long as you don't hurt anyone."

Jackal grinned, "So I can use my curse power again?"

"Jackal."

"I promise not to destroy anything."

Lucy narrowed her eyes and stuck out her hand, "Shake on it."

"What? We already met so..."

"A handshake also signifies an agreement."

"Oh. Alright then," He gave her a crooked smile as he shook her hand, and at the back of her mind she had a feeling that that particular smile could not mean anything good.

* * *

 **Ahh, this one was hard, but I'm caught up! So yaaay! Lucy was a snarky lil thing in this chapter. Fear not if this all seems like a slow start, things shall pick up very soon! Leave a review if it's not too much trouble, and super thanks to those who already have and the plethora of people who've followed and favorited.**


	3. Sharp

**Sooo sorry about how horrendously late this update is. This chapter DID NOT WANT TO BE WRITTEN. Seriously, guys. This is draft eight. . Hopefully the extended length makes it worth the wait?**

* * *

 _Sharp_

Ice cream night became a weekly thing, as it turned out. Jackal was determined to try every flavor possible, and Lucy was happy to indulge the demon. She rather enjoyed their small outings together, despite the odd looks they got from townspeople. About a month and a half had passed since she'd first summoned Jackal, and most of the locals of Crocus had gotten used to his being there. Lucy couldn't help but be impressed with the demon's behavior. Not once had he stepped out of bounds regarding their agreement, and even Loke had grudgingly admitted that the demon had exceeded his admittedly low expectations.

"You're doing it again."

"Hm? Wha- oh, sorry, Ghost," Lucy smiled sheepishly as she resumed her frosting of the cupcakes that would be sold in the cafe.

"Alright, space cadet, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, just thinking."

Ghost raised an eyebrow, "Jackal?"

"Why do you feel the need to do that?"

"Nailed it. So what's up? Is your demon misbehaving?"

Lucy shook her head, "No! Not at all, actually, which is kind of surprising, given everything."

"Not really," Ghost replied flatly.

"What do you mean?"

"He's a canine, right? And you're his master- I know, you don't want to be called that, but when it comes down to it, you're responsible for his existence."

Lucy leaned back in her chair, regarding the older girl curiously, "Yeah, but what are you getting at?"

"He wants to please you. It's practically hard-wired in him, whether he realizes it or not."

"I guess that makes sense. Not that I'm complaining. Though he and Plue do get up to some trouble while I'm here at work."

That much was undeniably true. After a first, fairly tense week, the dog demon and the dog spirit had suddenly become good friends. Their shared love of sweets had been the first thing they bonded over, and Jackal had instilled in Plue a love of practical jokes, which Lucy was usually on the receiving end of. Not that she minded. Her home was filled with laughter, something she thought was lost to her when Fairy Tail dissolved. If she was perfectly honest, she was happy with her demon and her simpler life. She grinned up at Ghost, but her smile fell as she noted the grim, almost distracted look on the girl's face.

"Ghost?"

"Hm?"

"Is something wrong?"

Ghost sighed slightly, "Not wrong, per se, just a little preoccupied."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, "That's unusual."

"I suppose it is. I have to go out of town for a few days, starting tomorrow. Job for the Magic Council."

"Wait, wait, you're a mage?"

"I am. I specialize in barrier magic. I don't belong to a guild, but I do some freelance work for the Council when they need a specialist."

"Oh, wow. So what are they having you do?"

"Well, they want me to infiltrate and bring down a small dark guild a few towns over. More and more have been popping up, and the Council was already stretched pretty thin from trying to rebuild, so they've had to reach out for extra help in suppressing the spike in dark guilds. It's no big deal really, except I've got a bad feeling that we don't have all the necessary information."

Lucy frowned, "That could lead to serious problems. Are you seriously okay with going alone?"

"Honestly, no. That's what's bugging me. I know you're a mage, and a solid one at that, but I'm not keen on asking you to jump into something when even I don't have all the details."

Lucy shrugged, "I was in Fairy Tail. Flying by the seat of our pants was pretty much how we did everything. If you want someone to watch your back, I'll tag along. Better to be safe than sorry, especially with how good your intuition is."

Ghost flashed her a rueful smile, "Alright then. In that case, go home for the day. Get prepared, whatever you need. Meet me at the train station tomorrow morning at six. This is primarily a stealth mission, so cover up and wear dark clothing. I'll have a hood for you, so don't worry about your hair and face."

"Got it," Lucy nodded, "I'll be ready, don't worry."

"Lucy. Take these home with you," Ghost offered a plate of cupcakes, "As a thank you present for backing me up. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh, no, Ghost you don't have to- alright, alright. I know better than to argue with _that_ look. Thanks, and see you then," Lucy slipped out the back of the cafe with a wave before heading back for the trolley station. It would take a few stops before it looped back to the station closest to her home, but she enjoyed the ride, allowing the wind from the car's open windows to stir her hair.

* * *

Jackal and Plue were in the middle of a very competitive game of Connect Four, a stock pile of sweets between them as a sort of betting pool, when Plue suddenly jumped up and made his shaky way nearer to the door. It was his usual ritual when it was about time for Lucy to come home, and that was what had Jackal confused.

"Uh, Pup? She's not due back for another three hours," Even as he said this, he could could feel her unique presence drawing nearer. A strange prickle passed over his chest, something that usually only happened when she was late coming home, and the hairs on the back of his neck rose. He stood from his place on the sofa, narrowing his eyes on the door as it opened.

"Well, hey, Plue," Lucy greeted the little dog spirit gently, scooping her up in her free hand, the other still holding the plate of treats from the cafe, "Hey Jackal- What's with that face?" She perked an eyebrow at him as he raked his gaze across her form. Usually she would blush and call him a perve, but there was something in those golden eyes that stayed her tongue; it was almost frantic.

"You're early."

"Yes, I-"

"Are you alright? Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

Lucy shook her head, effectively cutting off the line of rapid-fire questions, "I'm fine, and no, nothing really happened. I just got let off work early today.'

"Nothing happened, but you were allowed to come home almost half a day early?" Jacal clarified, his crossed arms conveying his heavy skepticism.

"More or less? Were you worried about me?"

"It's not possible for me to worry about anything," Jackal muttered, "It's just unusual."

Lucy sighed, "Well, I'm not hurt or anything, though I did come home for a reason. I'll get to that later though. Did you have lunch yet?"

"No, I was gonna get to that after this last round."

"Connect Four?" Lucy stared at the paused game and the stockpile of sweets beside it, "Is that a betting pool?"

"Kind of."

"How in the world do you make a betting pool for Connect Four?" Lucy asked as she headed into the kitchen, intending to set down the plate and start on lunch for the both of them. She was only half surprised when Jackal stopped her by wrapping an arm around her waist, and was even less surprised when his other hand sought out the plate that he'd obviously figured out had treats on them.

"Can I help you?"

"What are these?"

"They're cupcakes. You can have one after lunch."

"They smell good. So... Why are you home so early?

Lucy huffed, "I said I'd tell you later!"

"It is later."

"No, it... Ugh, fine, let me rephrase. I will tell you that when it is _my_ definition of later. Now let go, so I can make us some food."

He was clearly unhappy with her response, if the way his ears flattened slightly was any indication. Still, he released her from his grasp, though not before dropping his nose to her neck and inhaling deeply, then raising his head to rub cheeks with her. Lucy chuckled, having long since gotten used to the exchange, and rubbed his velvety ears before heading into the kitchen. Jackal followed her automatically, setting the plate on the table despite the glazed over look in his eyes. She snorted slightly as an absent thought filtered through her head: _I wonder if he likes his belly rubbed, too._

They spent the rest of the afternoon lounging about in the living room. Jackal and Plue continued the most intense match of Connect Four Lucy had ever seen (though she still had no idea how the betting thing worked. She decided to write it off as a canine thing.), but when no clear winner was decided, they split the pile and Plue vanished back into the spirit world. Lucy glanced at the clock and frowned slightly. She needed to be at the station quite early tomorrow, so an early night was the only logical solution. She'd also decided that she'd pack her bag tonight; and really, no time like the present. Jackal watched as she rose from her seat beside him and headed towards her bedroom. Curiosity overcame him, and he followed, watching with interest as she pulled what he knew to be a small suitcase from her closet.

"What's that for?"

Lucy paused a moment, considering her words carefully. She'd been intending to hold off a little longer, as she wasn't sure what his reaction would be, but for the same reason...

"I have to go out of town for a few days," She ventured, heading to her dresser to peruse her options. Dark clothing wasn't really her style, but she had a few items that would work.

"What?! Why? Is this why you came home so early?"

"Yes. I'm going on a mission with Ghost. She said she needed some backup."

Neither occupant of the room noticed the small vase on the blond's dresser crack suddenly.

"What kind of mission?" Jackal asked slowly, his voice darkening as he became deadly serious.

Lucy took a steadying breath, "We need to take down a dark guild. It's recently formed, so there shouldn't be-" She yelped suddenly as the aforementioned vase shattered, shards of sharp glass sinking into her unprotected flesh. Jackal blinked, staring between the vase and his injured summoner, needing a moment to realize what had happened.

"Shit! Lucy, sorry- Are you okay?!"

"Y-yeah, but... No, Jackal, don't touch me!"

She winced at the way he shrank back and his ears flattened totally to his head. He looked very much like a kicked puppy, and his usually unreadable eyes flashed with a mixture of hurt, anger, and concern.

"-Yet. I meant yet. Look at your hands, Jackal."

He did as he was told, and a sharp gasp escaped him. He hand't lost control of his curse power in centuries, yet his hands were alight with it even though he hadn't consciously used it. A visible shudder went through him them; if he'd touched Lucy with his curse power active...

"I'm sorry."

Lucy shook her head, "It's alright. I know you didn't mean to. Sorry I yelled."

"No, you were right to be afraid. You know what my curse does," He took a few slow breaths, and the power vanished again, "Weird," He mumbled, watching as Virgo popped out of her gate and cleaned and bandaged the small injuries with a practiced speed that had him wondering how often his summoner was injured. The thought was a bitter one, and a small whimper crawled its way out of his throat.

Lucy stared at him. Well _that_ was a sound she'd never heard out of him before, "Jackal?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. So this mission... I'm coming with you."

"No."

"Why not? You're my summoner, I should be with you. Protecting you."

"But if someone saw you, recognized you... Jackal, they would try to kill you!"

The demon shrugged, "Let them try. As long as my book is intact, I can't die. You know that."

Lucy pulled him over so they were both sitting on the bed, "But you can be hurt. I'm not going to allow that to happen."

"So you can be hurt instead?"

"I'll be fine. I have my spirits and whip, and I won't be out there alone. Ghost is clearly a very capable mage, if she was originally contracted to do this on her own."

"Then why'd she ask you to come?"

"Ghost has a very strong intuition. She felt that there was more to this job than met the eye, and decided to ask me to back her up. It's a safety precaution, more than anything."

Jackal growled softly, "Is that supposed to make me okay with it? 'Cause I'm not."

"I know, and I'm not asking you to be. I'm just asking you to accept my decision."

"No promises there, Lucy."

"What if we go out for pizza and ice cream?"

"It's not Friday, and bribery isn't going to work this time."

Lucy raised her eyebrows at him, "So you don't want the pizza and ice cream?"

"Do I want it? Yes. Will getting it make me not want to fucking rush after you or stop you from going altogether? Fuck no."

A heavy sigh escaped the girl, and she surprised them both by wrapping her arms around his sturdy shoulders and nuzzling his neck as he usually did to her, "It'll be fine, Jackal. I can handle myself pretty well, you know." She decided to ignore the quiet groan that her sudden embrace pulled from him as he folded his own arms around her and mumbled into her hair, "I know. It's just the thought of you going into something dangerous and not having me there... I don't like it."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," The demon admitted quietly. All he really knew was that the thought of her getting hurt even a little made his chest clench painfully and his stomach turn sickly. The memory of causing her pain himself (and enjoying it) pulled another whimper from him as his arms tightened their hold on her.

"Jackal."

"Hm?"

"Let's go out for pizza and ice cream tonight."

Jackal sighed, "I already told you, that's not going to make this okay."

"I know. But since I won't be home until probably Saturday, I thought we could go early this week."

"I won't complain."

Lucy chuckled, "I thought not. So let me get my bag packed, then we can go."

* * *

The sun was dipping into the horizon as they sat at their usual table outside the ice cream shop. Jackal was trying the bubble-gum flavor, while Lucy had opted for cotton candy.

"When do you have to leave?" Jackal asked quietly, breaking the silence between them.

"Tomorrow morning. Early. Have to be at the station at six."

Jackal wrinkled his nose, "What an ungodly hour. And you still don't want me with you?"

Lucy shook her head, "It's not that I don't want you there; I just don't want anyone to recognize you. It's too soon after everything, and I don't think the fledgling council would be very comfortable knowing one of Zeref's demons was wandering around. Even if I did explain that I had summoned you and about our contract. So, at least until we've put some time between us and... The incident, I'd prefer to keep you my little secret."

"Are you ashamed?"

"Not really. I did what I thought was right, and I don't regret it at all," She giggled suddenly, "And I kind of like having you all to myself," she added with a wink.

Jackal smirked at her, before his eyes fell to an errant bit of ice cream at the corner of her mouth. Before he had time to properly consider what it was he was doing, he had leaned in and licked the offending substance away. He'd expected her face to turn an alarming shade of red, and it was as adorable as ever, but what he hadn't expected was the shiver that he could literally feel run down her spine... Or was it his spine? Somebody shivered...

"Wha-"

"There was ice cream," Jackal explained, pulling away by a millimeter.

"And you couldn't hand me a napkin because?"

"Didn't wanna waste it."

Lucy shook her head and stood with a roll of her eyes, "Well, come on. I have to get to bed so I can make it to the station on time tomorrow."

The demon's expression darkened, but he complied all the same.

Lucy locked the door behind them as the entered the house, having stated that she would shower and then get some sleep. Jackal watched her head to her room, contemplating for only a moment before catching up to her in long slides. He ignored her small squeak as he pulled her against his chest, nuzzling back into her neck before darting his tongue out and tracing the slim column. Attempting to return her breathing and heart rate to normal levels, Lucy murmured, "I know there wasn't ice cream there."

"No, but you yourself are about as sweet."

"I don't know if I should be flattered, frightened, or if I should just roll my eyes at how cheesy that was."

Jackal chuckled, pulling back to brush noses with her, "It was not cheesy. I was being completely serious; you have a sweet flavor."

Lucy opened her mouth to retort, but realized that anything she said would only make things worse.

"Or do you not want me to devour you?"

"Ehh?! I didn't even say anything, how did you come to that conclusion and why are we talking about d-devouring things-"

"G'night, Lucy," Jackal cackled at her as he headed into his own room, leaving the sputtering blond to her thoughts.

* * *

It had only been by a miracle that she'd gotten any sleep that night. Groaning, she blindly swatted at her alarm clock, silencing it before dragging herself out of bed. She winced as her bare feet hit the cold floor. While Crocus was a generally mild climate, it did have its share of chilly, misty mornings. The fog would burn off in a few hours, but until then, the capitol always looked a bit eerie with wisps of mist clinging to its spired buildings. Lucy headed into her bathroom, splashing some cold water on her face to help jolt her awake, and brushing her teeth. Still rubbing her eyes and grumbling slightly, she discarded her nightclothes in the designated basket and pulled on a longsleeved black blouse, a black skirt, and black leggings underneath. She'd been surprised she even owned this much of the color, but had managed to scrounge together a few passable outfits. She slipped on her reserve pair of boots- also black, and slung her keys around her waist. Deciding to be just a little cute, she tied her blond locks in a high pony tail with a black ribbon. Nodding at herself, she grabbed her bag, which was a garishly contrasting pink, and headed out into the living room, intending to grab something quick for breakfast before heading to the station.

"Morning."

"Sweet mother of-" The rest of Lucy's startled exclamation was an amalgamation of curses and unladylike squawking as she juggled the pear she'd chosen as her morning meal in an effort to not drop it. Clutching the fruit to her chest, she turned her eyes to the demon, who looked like he was putting an enormous effort into not laughing at her, "Why?"

"Didn't want to miss you leaving."

Lucy grumbled as she took a quick bite of her pear, "And you couldn't turn the lights on because why again?"

"They hurt my eyes this early in the godsdamned morning."

"Huh. I'm surprised you're even up this early, mister 'Mornings should be indiscriminately exploded.'"

"You use a lot of big words sometimes, blondie. And... I didn't sleep."

"Oh." She felt kind of bad about it, yet couldn't stop the slight blush that rose to her cheeks. He'd stayed up all night, just so he'd be awake to send her off.

"So... Yeah. I should, uh, get going. Ghost might disembowel me with a plastic spoon if I'm late, so... Yep! See ya in a few days. Don't blow anything up, kay?"

"Yeah, yeah, got it," Jackal waved her concerns off with a hand, walking with her to the door and opening it, "Lucy."

"Mhm?" She managed around another mouthful of pear.

"Be careful."

"I will. Don't worry."

"I'm not."

"Okay," Lucy shrugged, adjusting her bag over her shoulder and giving him a wave as she made her way to the train station.

* * *

Ghost chuckled as Lucy finished recounting the events of the previous night and that morning, "Yeah, I'd say he was worried. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said he had emotions and just didn't know what they were. Probably wasn't important to know when he was in Tartaros."

"Probably not," Lucy agreed, "I like him better this way though. He's not so bad."

"So it would seem. Him giving you puppy kisses though, _that_ made my morning."

Lucy stared at her companion with wide eyes, getting the same feeling she would normally associate with Mirajane's matchmaking schemes: Unadulterated horror. "Uh... Ghost?"

"I ship it."

"What?"

"You and puppy-demon. I ship it."

Lucy groaned, hiding her face in her hands, "If you say anything about babies, Ghost, I swear-"

Ghost cut her off with a cackle, "And yet I hear no protests! Alright, whoa, no need to go all Scary Lucy on me. Or perhaps more appropriately: Demon Lucy," Another chuckle escaped her at the exasperated noises the blond seated across from her was making, before she returned to seriousness, "Okay, joking aside, let me tell you what I know about this job. Like I said, it's a few towns over, so it's gonna take some time to get there. Normally, I'd just go in and take care of business, but since this one seems suspicious to me, we're going to do some scouting first. I don't like not knowing what kind of numbers I'm up against, especially when these new dark guilds are consisting of both mages and non-mages alike."

"So when we get there, you just want to take stock of their numbers and stats?"

"Yes. As well as any optimal positions for attacking. If the council scouts and officers had as much trouble as they said, I'd bet the guild itself is protected, probably by a rune barrier of some kind. We'll know more when we get there. Until then, take it easy. We're going to be operating by night, so take this opportunity to get some extra sleep.

* * *

"Lucy. Luuucy," The blond in question blinked herself into consciousness, turning her head to face Ghost.

"Are we there?"

"Yeah. Are you ready?"

Wide awake and in what she liked to call "mission mode," Lucy nodded, "Yeah."

"Alright then, let's do this."

The two young women walked off the train, heading immediately for a nearby forest.

"According to my intel, the dark guild should be in a clearing somewhere in this forest," Ghost explained, then knelt on the ground, placing a palm on it. Lucy felt a small rush of magic before it faded, and raised an eyebrow at her companion.

"I used a pulse of my magic to seek out any other magical signatures in the area. Anyone can do it, and it's useful for getting a beat on marks like this. That said, I won't be able to discern how many mages or how powerful they are until we get closer. For now, I'm picking up a stronger radiance from the West. We'll start by heading there."

The girls continued that way for a while, with Ghost occasionally checking the signature and teaching Lucy to do so as well. A few miles in, a clearing came into view, but no building or any sign of life was visible. Ghost frowned, "A cloaking spell and a rune barrier. Lucy, focus your magic on this rune wall, and memorize the magic signature. Once we're in, we're going to split up and meet at the North end of the guild. While you're looking around, make sure you keep an eye out for that signature; I'd bet a limb on there being traps all around here."

"Okay, but how are we going to get in?"

Ghost smirked at her, "There's a reason I specialize in stealth operations, Miss Lucy. Stay close."

Lucy watched as the older girl covered the both of them in a shimmering bubble, then slipped through the rune and cloaking enchantment with little more than a ripple in the spell to mark their presence.

"Alright, how did you do that?"

"I'd be a pretty crappy barrier mage if I couldn't put up a barrier that let me filter through other magic. Plus this rune barrier is pretty flimsy. Now, you go around that way, and I'll take the other side."

Lucy nodded, and crept around the side of the guild, making sure to note how many mages were there and keeping an eye out for rune traps. Now that she knew that particular signature, said traps were easy to find and avoid. The blond couldn't help but be a little giddy; in all her time with Team Natsu, stealth had never been a successful endeavor... For three very obvious reasons, each bearing the name of one of her teammates. Returning her full focus to the task at hand, she made her way to the other end of the compound, ducking into the trees for extra cover. A familiar pulse of magic, more subtle than before, prickled the back of her neck. Ghost was approaching and probably wanted Lucy's location. The blond sent out an answering pulse, and before long the two girls were comparing information.

"So there are 150 members, two thirds of which are capable mages and the rest fodder. Small guild my ass," Ghost grumbled, "This is going to take some thinking. Sun's rising too, let's head back into town and get some rest. Tomorrow evening we'll get a plan together and see if we can't knock these guys out. Alright?"

Lucy nodded, still somewhat stunned that Ghost had been contracted to do this alone. The girl in question looked a combination of wary and royally pissed. Lucy could only assume she was displeased with the council's informant.

* * *

"Alright. This is going to take a bit of misdirection, but it should do the trick," Ghost crossed her arms, lavender eyes taking a reddish sheen in the setting sun. For the first time, Lucy was actually intimidated by the older mage. She wasn't sure if it was the sleek swallow tailed coat she wore or the steely glint in her eyes, but Ghost had a look that could give Erza a run for her money.

Their plan was fairly simple in design, but pulling it off would take a bit of doing. They would enter the compound as they had the night before, then split up. Lucy would call Virgo to create a pitfall that would cave in when a large number of people tried to cross it at once. Since most of the mages spent their evenings in the guildhall and left patrols to the non-magic members, it would buy Ghost some time to deal with the fodder while Sagittarius lay suppressing fire on the mages, hopefully picking off a few of them in the process. From there, Virgo would be switched with Loke, who was a stronger offensive attacker, while the Gate of the Archer would remain open to keep the majority of the mages scrambling, as well as pick off any stragglers moving to unsavory positions. It would take a bit of oomph, but they had the element of surprise, and the ability to strike quickly and powerfully...

And so Lucy found herself situated at the top of a bluff with Sagittarius, watching as Ghost went to town on the non-mages, unleashing a flurry of powerful kicks cloaked in her magic for more power. It was a unique fighting style, Lucy noted. Ghost's magic was, as far as she knew, purely defensive, so she could only attack physically. However, she didn't only use her barriers for defense, instead using them to trip and stutter enemy movements, as well as bolster her own physical attacking power. She'd gotten creative with what she had, something Lucy herself had been striving to do. A shaking in the ground drew her attention to the entrance of the guildhall; Virgo's pitfall had been tripped, and sure enough, nearly half the mages had been caught in it. She nodded at Sagittarius to begin firing, and at the same time felt Virgo's key pulse, alerting the summoner to the maiden's return to the celestial realm. Lucy summoned her lion spirit quietly, and stayed back as he headed down to assist ghost with the tougher mages. She would stay hidden for the time being, as a fail-safe if too many mages escaped the pitfall too quickly. She really hoped it wouldn't come to that; this was the part of the plan she was most skeptical about. She wasn't physically strong, and opening a third gate was, from past experience, out of the question. That left her with her whip and her wits, and Lucy couldn't really see either of them holding up against any of the higher tier mages. She'd brought up her concerns to Ghost, but the older girl had only smiled mysteriously and given her a cryptic bit of advice or encouragement, Lucy wasn't sure which: "You have a uniquely powerful bond with your spirits, Lucy. Your strength is their strength, and in turn, their strength is yours. Use it."

Honestly, Lucy had no idea what the hell that meant.

"Lucy! Now!"

"Ahh, crap," Lucy muttered as she watched the rune mage construct a large enough barrier around the pitfall for his comrades to clamber out.

"Sagittarius, keep firing. Try to keep them in one area, don't let too many get out of range."

"I shall endeavor to keep them contained, Miss Lucy! As it were!"

 _Well at least Sagittarius knows what the hell he's doing,_ Lucy thought to herself as she slid down the bluff, unfurling her whip.

She should have anticipated being caught in a rune trap and eyed up by three nasty looking mages.

" _These rune barriers are pretty flimsy."_

Lucy bit her lip slightly as Ghost's observation from the previous night filtered through her memory, _Okay, great, but I still don't have the physical strength to break it..._

"Lucy!" Loke changed direction, fists alight with the intention to set his princess free.

"Loke!" A shimmering sphere surrounded him, cracking slightly under the impact of a truly powerful spell that would likely have sent him back to the celestial realm. He turned a grateful gaze to Ghost, who was staring down the dark guild's master with a grim expression. Her lavender eyes flicked to him for a beat as she addressed him, "Focus, kitty-cat. We need you to take down the rabble."

"But, Lucy-"

"She can handle herself. Let her do this."

"But-"

"You trust her?"

"Always," Loke answered without hesitation, ducking under a spell and using a light infused fist to send a few lesser mages flying. Ghost nodded, "Then do what she needs you to do, not what you want to do." The lion spirit nodded before diving back into the main fray with renewed ferocity as Ghost used her barriers as platforms to scale the guild building at begin a duel with the guild master. Privately, she was glad she'd gotten through to that stubborn, overgrown cat. She'd have her hands full with this wizard alone, so having Loke mow down the weaker mages while Lucy got her shit together was a relief. Speaking of Lucy...

A warmth at her hip caused the blond to look down at her keys. The Gate of the Golden Bull was glowing. _Taurus? But I can't call out any more spirits..._

" _In turn, their strength is yours. Use it"_

"Taurus," Lucy murmured, running a finger along the golden key, "lend me your strength."

She hadn't expected anything to happen. And so it was only natural that she joined her three opponent's shock when a bright light enveloped her, filling her with strength and... What was with that draft along her midriff? She peered down to note that her clothing had changed. She was now wearing a cow print bikini top and a black half legging half bikini bottom, knee high boots, cow print half sleeves beneath steel gauntlets, and what could only be described as a saddle bag slung across her hips. Her belt buckle bore Taurus' symbol. Lucy snapped her whip to the ground, and the resulting tremor not only shattered the weak rune barrier, but also knock her opponents off-balance. Loke glanced in the direction of the tremor and froze, mouth dropping open in a mixture of shock, awe, and pride, "St-star dress..."

A look of realization crossed the blond's features; this was exactly what had happened when Aquarius had left her magic for Lucy, but this time, the corresponding spirit was still safe in the celestial realm. A small smirk crossed her features as her whip created another powerful quake, and her upgraded Lucy Kick knocked an incoming mage into three more of his comrades, and all four were rendered unconscious from the impact.

With Lucy and Loke working together, along with support fire from Sagittarius, the dark mages were reduced to only three and their guild master, who was still battling Ghost. Loke was having a hard time with his two opponents, even with the spirit of the archer preventing him from being overwhelmed. Lucy wasn't faring much better. Her opponent was a nimble man who used blades of energy to cut through every wave of earth she sent at him, deflecting her whip with a flick of his wrist. She was on the defensive now, and while she had Taurus' strength, the Golden Bull did not provide any boost to her speed or agility. She cried out in pain as thin blades of energy cut through her, scoring her arms and midsection. She heard Loke yell for her, before one of his opponents used the distraction to finally wear him down enough to send him back to the spirit world. The remaining mage had managed to pin Sagittarius' location, and the horse spirit was also knocked out of commission. Lucy braced herself for the next wave of sharp pain, but never came. Instead, a hauntingly familiar, chime-like sound alerted her to another presence. Her body moved on instinct, registering the sound and what it meant before her mind could even process it, curling defensively as the following explosion sent the opposing mage flying.

"Y'know, there's a lot of things I can deal with," Jackal's voice cut through the dust with alarming clarity and deadly seriousness, "But watchin' you get hurt and not being able to do a damn thing about it ain't one of 'em!" Another chime heralded another explosion, and the blade using mage met a nasty end. The remaining two foolishly rushed the demon, not knowing the full effects of his curse power. Jackal sent the two of them a fanged smirk as the glowing yellow sigils appeared on their bodies where they had touched him, and they two detonated into oblivion. Lucy barely suppressed a shudder as blood and dust created a reddish, muddy coating on her skin. Still, she watched the demon wave an arm in a wide arc toward the guildhall, placing his explosive crest onto the shoddy masonry. She heard the chime, the slight rush of air, and the cacophony of cracking and splitting stone as the structure blew apart. Dimly she heard the guild master's grunt as he scrabbled for purchase on the falling rocks, and not so dimly she heard Ghost's startled, "Son of a bitch!"

The barrier mage rolled out from the rubble unscathed but disgruntled, having used her defensive magic to shield herself from the impact and the debris.

"J-Jackal... You're here," Lucy stammered, half from shock, half from pain. The demon turned his golden gaze to her, helping her up, "Yeah." The sound of something shattering broke the two of them from their moment as Ghost was flung back towards them. Apparently, the dark guild's master had struck her barrier with enough force to obliterate it, and the resulting impact had sent her flying. She twisted slightly in midair, landing first at an angle on her shoulder before using the extra momentum to flip back to her feet, a serious, and seriously unhappy expression on her face. The force had landed her beside Lucy, just behind Jackal. The guild master gave a roar and charged towards the three of them, a massive blast charging in his hand as he drew nearer. The next series of events seemed to happen in slow motion: Jackal stuck out a hand, palm up, connecting with the man's chest. A sigil appeared, and time seemed to speed up again as the guild master was blown literally apart. Ghost had managed to erect a barrier around herself with a small "eep!" but Lucy wasn't so lucky as a new coat of blood and other sticky bits covered her skin. Ghost peered at the blood and aforementioned bits as they slid down her barrier before she dispersed it entirely, "Okay, that's disgusting."

"Lucy," Jackal turned to face her, raking a critical gaze down her form. It was clear that the fact that she was covered in blood wasn't a concern for him, though he did wince as he noted her wounds. However, his next words were entirely unexpected, "Why the hell are you dressed like a cow?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy saw Ghost facepalm.

* * *

 **I apologize for all the line breaks. This chapter had something against flowing naturally, no matter how nicely I asked it to. Complaining aside, I want to sincerely thank all of you for the reviews and favorites so far. I read every review, and I try to put in little nods to what you seem to like or would like to see when I can. Those reviews and follows/favorites have helped me maintain the ambition to wrangle this train-wreck of a chapter into something hopefully enjoyable to read. The next update shouldn't take near as long to appear, so keep an eye out for it!**


	4. Filthy

"Seriously, why a cow? That doesn't even make sense," Jackal was still preoccupied with Lucy's new outfit, while Lucy herself was attempting to peel gooey pieces of the guildmaster off of her skin. Ghost raised a critical eyebrow at the blood smeared pair, "Y'know, I think I remember there being a river or creek near here. The two of you should maybe rinse off, before the vultures try to make off with you."

"Yes, river good," Lucy mumbled, "Jackal, do you think you can scent it out?"

"Easy," Jackal nodded before heading off in what was presumably the direction of the creek with Lucy following close behind.

"You alright, Lucy?" Jackal asked when they were a fair distance away.

"More or less, just a little gross," the blond replied.

"You're not mad at me?"

The summoner frowned at him, "Why would I be?"

"I was supposed to stay home. Obviously I didn't."

"True, but if you hadn't come after me, Ghost and I both would have been in serious trouble. Thank you."

For a moment, the demon looked uncomfortable, as though unsure how to handle the blond's gratitude. Still, he flashed her a fanged smile, "Hey, you're safe, and I got to blow some shitheads up. Everyone wins."

Lucy chuckled, "I guess so. Though I am curious: How long did you wait before coming after me?"

"Fifteen minutes, about," Jackal answered immediately, "Ten minutes longer than I'd wanted to."

With a roll of her eyes, Lucy waded into the small river they'd arrived at. Immediately, she shivered, "Mavis, that's cold!"

Jackal laughed at her, but is mirth was cut short when her whip wrapped around his wrist and hauled him into the water. He popped up to the surface with a yelp, "What the fuck was that for?!"

"You need to rinse off, too, smart-ass," Lucy replied, "Seriously, you're filthy."

"So are you, cow-print. What's with that, anyway?"

As the pair rinsed off, Lucy explained the events that had led up to her activating her star dress and the abilities it had afforded her. Jackal looked perplexed, "That's not the first time you've done that."

"Correct, the first time was courtesy of Aquarius, though I didn't know what it was or how to activate it on my own."

"Probably a good thing for me, or you would have wrecked my shit more than you ended up doing… My summoner's pretty damn strong."

Lucy flushed at the compliment, but didn't have time to respond as her star dress dissipated.

"Looks like you still need to work on the finer points of that, huh?"

A loud, high-pitched shriek echoed through the forest, back to where Ghost was. The woman in question raised an eyebrow and took a step towards the river, then thought the better of it and continued her report for the council.

"Don't just stare at me, look the other way!" Lucy yelped, splashing some water at Jackal with one hand and covering herself as best she could with the other, "Where the hell did my other clothes go, anyway?"

"I held them for you in the Celestial Realm, under the assumption that you would prefer dry clothes, Princess. Congratulations on activating Taurus' star dress," Virgo's deadpan voice sounded from the bank.

"I would also have preferred to not be naked," Lucy whined slightly, "Jackal, turn around, for star's sake!"

"Why are you worried about being naked?" Jackal asked, perplexed, "Oh! It must be because I'm wearing clothes or something. Here, I can just-"

"W-what? No! No, no, no- ahh gees," the arm that had been splashing at him was now covering her eyes as Jackal removed his own clothing.

"I brought a change of clothes for you as well, cousin," Virgo addressed the demon.

"Cousin?"

"Yes. You are a part of Princess' family just as I am. However, you are not a spirit so I cannot call you brother. Cousin seems appropriate. I shall take my leave now, Princess," with a poof, the Gate of the Maiden closed once more.

By this point, Lucy had sunk down into the shallow water in a mixture of embarrassment and an attempt to cover herself while looking in any direction but Jackal's. On one hand, she was touched that VIrgo had accepted the demon as part of their family, and on the other… _She thought to hold my regular clothes in the Celestial Realm so they wouldn't get wet, but couldn't think to provide a swimsuit or something? She has to be doing this on purpose…_ A sudden warmth at her back pulled her from her inner rantings.

"How did you even get blood back here?" Jackal gently scrubbed his hands over her shoulders, clearing away some of the more stubborn gore, "Man, it's all in your hair too. Lean back a bit would you- I'll get it out." Before she could protest, Lucy felt herself being tugged back so that her hair was submerged. Although she was extremely uncomfortable with the state of undress being displayed currently, she couldn't deny that Jackal's fingers weaving through her hair felt nice. Almost obsessively, Jackal cleaned away the blood and muck from her skin and hair before tugging lightly at her arms to turn her towards him. Lucy was fully prepared to put a stop to this now, but the look on his face as he worked on her hands, then her wrists, stopped her from doing so. His eyes were half-lidded, his expression tranquil, as though he'd fallen into some sort of trance. Shyly, she lifted her own hands to his shoulders and began to return the favor. Despite her face being redder than Erza's hair, she and her demon continued to clean each other. Dimly, she acknowledged that this was probably some form of bonding through grooming, as she'd witnessed similar tranquil expressions on Plue and the exceeds when they would occasionally groom each other. Eventually, she relaxed, her nudity no longer a concern.

* * *

Once the both of them were clean, the exited the chilly creek, and Lucy's embarrassment returned twofold. Redfaced and silent, she made her way back to Ghost, but stopped when she heard raised voices. She nodded at Jackal, signaling that he should stay out of sight for now.

"-and your scout couldn't be bothered to note that? Where'd you get your information, Tearsa?"

"Calm down," A man sounded almost bored, "It's entirely possible that their numbers grew during the time between our report and your encounter. Which, by the way, is why I suggested you get to it as soon as possible.

Ghost snarled at him, a rare slip in composure, "You gave me this job three days ago, what the fuck do you want from me? I can't just jump on the next train whenever you decide to send me on another suicide mission!"

"Oh, dear. You're being dramatic again," The man smirked at her, clearly amused at her response.

Ghost exhaled slowly through her nose, "Even if they had recruited more members and _tripled their numbers_ in the time it took me to get out here, that doesn't excuse your informant from his blatant lack of information. He left out the part where the guildmaster and six of his leutenants were escaped hight level prisoners from Era. He didn't mention that the lower level members were equipped with magical weapons. I suppose it must have just slipped his mind, or perhaps you just didn't think those details were important to pass on to an operative?"

"Don't sass me, woman. I gave you all the information I had. You're fine, so what's the issue?"

"You're too lax! You realize that could easily have been a trap, right? Everyone knows the council's in disarray; now would be the perfect time to start trying to mop up the stragglers."

The man sighed, and Lucy ventured into the clearing behind Ghost. The man she was arguing with was tall, even moreso than Ghost herself. He had sharp amber eyes framed by a mop of dark auburn hair. Lucy noted a portion of it was braided on his right side and held with a silver clasp of some kind. He was dressed mostly in black, a long sleeved, high necked shirt set off his olive skin and had a few plates of dark armor strapped over it. Lucy was sure she could see a color other than black in the metallic sheen, but the more she looked, the more it just looked like black. He was arrogant enough to wear black leather pants that tucked into armored boots. He wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he wasn't an ordinary part of the council; the remnants of Era were stretched thin indeed. Her appraisal complete, Lucy tuned back into the conversation.

"I'll drop by your cafe with your payment sometime next week."

"Please don't'," Ghost groaned, "Just mail it like a normal person."

"Well, I have some more information for you on another target. If this is any indication, it would be in your best interest to get started right away."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"You know I don't kid when it comes to my work, darling. I'll see you next week," The man bent suddenly and pecked the still fuming Ghost on the forehead before turning and exiting the clearing. Ghost made a series of agitated sounds in her throat, wringing her hands out in front of her as though strangling someone… Probably the guy that just left.

"Who was that?" Lucy asked.

"Falcon Tearsa. He's an intelligence specialist and, although I hate to admit it, a talented mage. He uses a combination of Nyx magic, which nullifies most other magics, and poison magic. Generally, he just imbibes his weapons with his magic."

"You seem to know him pretty well."

"Unfortunately. A few years ago we ended up working on the same job as freelancers. From then on he's never missed an opportunity to be a pain in my ass. I'm sure he was _elated_ when the council remnants asked him to head up a team to suppress the rise in dark guilds."

"Can I blow him up?" Jackal asked, slipping from his hiding place.

Ghost shook her head, "If anyone's going to kill that guy, it'll be me. If I find out he's been deliberately withholding information from me, I will end him."

"Is that something he'd do?"

"Ohh, yeah," Ghost nodded, "Nothing makes him happier than watching other people struggle. If he has the ability or opportunity to make someone's life more difficult, he'll do it. That job I mentioned? I almost got killed because of him."

Lucy gasped, "What happened?"

"He poisoned me. Then had the arrogance to waltz in and say he saved my life."

"What an asshole…" Jackal muttered.

Ghost frowned, "He's planning something. He's never been good at hiding it when he's got something in mind. The hard part's going to be finding out what it is. Anyway, let's head back into town and get some sleep. We'll catch the train back to Crocus tomorrow morning

* * *

"Hey, Ghost?" Lucy asked as they settled in for the night.

"Hm?"

"I'll help you. With that Falcon guy, I mean."

Ghost chuckled, "Thanks for the offer, Lucy, but if I'm going to get any information out of him, I'm going to have to dance to his tune for a little while. Can you handle the shop for me while I'm gone?"

"Of course, but…"

"I'll be fine. I don't think he wants to kill me, per se. He likes to play the hero, so maybe I'll use that against him," the older woman yawned, "But that will have to wait until another day. Get some sleep, both of you."

Lucy sighed, not entirely at peace with Ghost's decision, but snuggled back into the covers. Jackal, who she'd almost forgotten was laying next to her, threw an arm across her waist. She tensed for a beat, then mentally shrugged. How many times had Natsu invaded her personal space in a similar manner… Or worse, Erza. Lucy shuddered slightly at the memory of being nearly smothered in the redheaded warrior's bust, then let her mind wander elsewhere. She had a feeling that things were going to get complicated soon, one way or another. Even though the guild had disbanded, it seemed Lucy still had the Fairy Tail knack for finding trouble wherever she went.

* * *

T.T I'm back... and I brought garbage. This almost fits the prompt, but we're gonna roll with it. Writing this was like pulling teeth, silly chapter. Anywho, no I'm not dead, yes I'm finishing this, and yes, I'm still looking for trial readers for an original work of mine. If you like my writing style and want to read something else from me, please do send me a message.


	5. Bloodlust

Lucy woke late the next morning cocooned in a pleasant warmth. Absently, she snuggled back against whatever was so cozy in her bed. Jackal murmured something in his sleep and tightened his arm around her waist, nuzzling his nose into her hair. Lucy froze for a moment, as reality sank in. Her eyes snapped open, fixating on the other bed and fully expecting to find a smirking Ghost. Oddly enough, the older woman's bed was empty. Now fully awake, Lucy gently pried herself out of Jackal's embrace and sat up, scanning the room for the charcoal haired woman. A note on the bedside table and a few jewel caught her eye and she read it over curiously.

 _Morning, Starlight. I headed back early this morning; had some things to take care of. Didn't have the heart to wake you and your demon (Yes, I saw that, yes it was adorable, and yes, I still ship it). The jewel I left will cover your train fare, so take as much time as you like. I'll see you back in Crocus._

 _-Ghost_

Lucy groaned quietly, of course Ghost would tease her about her cuddly demon. It wouldn't surprise her if the older woman had snapped a few photos before she left. She sighed, shaking her head and pulling out a new set of clothes. The more she thought about it though, the less it bothered her. She'd felt a comfortable safety with Jackal, despite the irony of it all, and wasn't nearly as embarrassed as she would have been with anyone else. The blonde glanced at the still sleeping demon and smiled fondly before slipping out of the room in search of some breakfast. She'd noticed a crepe shop down the street the previous day, and headed in that direction.

As she'd expected, Jackal had approved of her choice of breakfast. The two had spent the rest of the morning poking around the town before boarding the train for Crocus. It was an uneventful ride, but Lucy was still relieved when they stepped into the house that evening. For one reason or another, the closer they came to Crocus, the more uneasy she became.

"You're thinkin' too much, blondie," Jackal observed over his hand of cards, "Three of spades?"

"Go fish," Lucy shook her head, "I just keep thinking about that guy from before. Something didn't seem right about him."

"Yeah, I know what you mean on that one. Guy smelled weird as fuck. Almost familiar, but I'm sure I've never seen him before… Pisses me off."

"I hope Ghost will be okay," Lucy murmured as they packed up their game. (Plue had won, naturally, as the Canis Minor spirit had an indomitable poker face and a knack for Go Fish.)

"She seemed to know what she was doing where he was concerned. And if he steps out of line, we can just blow him up."

"Ah, and the true motive comes to light," Lucy teased, "Well, I'm gonna head to bed. I have work again tomorrow. Good night, Jackal."

Jackal stood and walked with her to her room, nuzzling her neck before bidding her good night as well.

* * *

The jingle of the bell pulled the blond from her musings early the next morning. The coffee shop didn't tend to get many customers until later in the morning. Lucy looked up and found herself pinned down by amber eyes as a familiar sense of unease prickled over her skin.

"Good morning," Falcon Tearsa greeted neutrally, "Is Ghost in?"

"She's in the back," Lucy answered slowly, "I'll go get her."

"Oh, there's no need for that, I can wait. In the meantime, I'll have a coffee; house blend, please."

"Of course," Lucy prepared the drink and watched as the man sat casually at a nearby table.

"You were with her on this last mission."

Lucy startled at the sudden conversation, but wasn't surprised. She had been standing behind Ghost while she'd been arguing with him, so of course he saw her. She nodded, "That's right."

"Thank you for backing her. I truly wasn't aware their numbers had swelled so drastically, or I would have accompanied her myself. My information is usually much more accurate. I hope you weren't hurt?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Lucy replied warily, hoping Ghost would show up soon. Despite the innocent nature of the conversation, Lucy knew well enough when someone was digging for information.

"You must be quite the capable mage if Ghost asked for your aid. She can be quite choosy about her partners. May I ask what magic you use?"

"Celestial spirit magic," Lucy answered, "I'm Ex-Fairy Tail."

"Ahh, Fairy Tail. That was my next question. Then you must be Lucy Heartfilia."

Lucy merely nodded in response.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Falcon Tearsa, I work as an intelligence officer for the provisional council."

"Nice to meet you," Lucy managed a smile, silently thankful for her training as a debutante.

"Lucy? Is someone there- Oh. It's you," Ghost emerged from the back room bearing a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

"Ooh, I'll take one of those," Falcon grinned.

"That'll be three hundred jewel, please," Ghost deadpanned, setting one roll on a plate and artfully depositing the rest in the display case.

Falcon payed for the roll, then produced two envelops from his coat pocket, "Your payment for this last job," He explained as he handed one of them to Ghost, "Payment for you as well, Miss Heartfilia," He slid the other envelope over the counter towards Lucy.

"Right. Thanks," Ghost muttered, "Enjoy your coffee."

"Dismissive as ever. You cut me to the quick, my pet," Falcon sighed, "Although there is one more matter I must discuss with you."

"You said you had another job for me?"

"Correct. Don't worry. I will be accompanying you this time. I won't risk your life over inaccurate information a second time."

"Oh, goody," Ghost muttered sarcastically, "I assume you want to work out the details more privately?"

"Please."

Ghost rolled her eyes, "Right. The back room should work. Lucy, can you handle the shop?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Don't worry."

Lucy frowned as Falcon followed Ghost a little too closely into the back room. She spent the next hour tending to the slow trickle of patrons and fidgeting nervously while she glanced back at the currently closed door. Nothing about this was sitting right with her, and the longer she had time to think about it, the more she wanted to barge into the backroom and demand that she go with Ghost instead. She might not be as powerful as Falcon, but at Lucy knew she would have the older girl's back. After what Ghost had told her and Jackal about her previous interaction with Falcon, the blond did not trust him to have her friend's safety in mind.

Finally, the door opened and the two mages emerged. Falcon looked fairly pleased with himself while Ghost's expression was neutral.

"I'll meet you at the train station tomorrow morning. Don't be late," Falcon teased, bending once again to peck the woman on the forehead before striding out of the shop. Ghost took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly through her nose before shaking her head and joining Lucy at the counter. The blond raised an eyebrow, "Does he always do that?"

"The kiss on the forehead? Yeah. Every time."

"Why?"

"Because he knows it pisses me off."

"So were you two-?"

Ghost cut her off with a look, then beckoned the next customer to the register, pointedly ignoring Lucy's question.

* * *

"I'll probably be out for the week, do you want me to close the shop?" Ghost asked as she locked up for the evening.

Lucy shook her head, "No, no I can handle it. What about you? Will you be alright?"

"I should be fine. Don't worry about me, kiddo."

"Hard not to; that guy gives me the creeps!"

Ghost chuckled, "He does have that effect on people, doesn't he? I'll see you in about a week."

"Alright… Be careful," Lucy watched the other woman go for a moment before heading for the trolley station that would get her home.

"I'm home, Lucy called as she closed the door behind her.

"Yo! Jackal greeted, before growling roughly. He stood stiffly, crossing the room in long strides and caging her against the wall.

"Something wrong?"

"You smell like that asshole," Jackal snarled, pressing closer to her.

"Yeah, he came by the shop to pay Ghost. She leaves on a job tomorrow morning, and he's going with her."

"That doesn't seem good," Jackal observed as he rubbed against her, trying to mask the offending scent with his own. Absently, his clawed hands had moved to her waist and were now tugging rather insistently at her shirt.

"Uh, Jackal?"

He shook his head, "Sorry, Lucy, but you've gotta get that guy's scent off of you or something is going to explode."

She would have teased him for his sudden possessiveness, but the serious look in his eyes and the way his jaw was clenched told her he was not kidding about an imminent explosion. And she'd rather not have to repair the damages.

"Alright, alright. Here, I'll go grab a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes. I needed to wash these anyway."

Jackal pulled away reluctantly, but planted himself firmly on the couch while Lucy disappeared into her bedroom to shower as promised. She emerged twenty minutes later, dressed in a tank top and a pair of shorts. Jackal buried his nose against her neck as soon as she was within reach, sighing in approval at her clean scent.

"Better?"

"Much."

Lucy leaned against him, content to snuggle a bit on the couch. She'd gotten used to his scent marking ages ago, so the closeness didn't bother her in the slightest. He groaned softly, wrapping his arms tighter around her as he brushed his nose repeatedly against her neck and shoulder. A small squeak of surprise escaped her as he suddenly hauled her into his lap, running his tongue along her collar bone. She shivered, squirming slightly in his lap and earning a much louder groan in response. A sharp gasp escaped her as she felt a pinching sensation at her shoulder, but was soothed quickly by the lapping of his tongue.

"Jackal?"

He lifted his head to look her in the eyes, fixing her with a hungrier look than she'd ever seen prior. His tongue darted along his lips, sweeping away the last traces of her blood with a pleased growl. He blinked suddenly, confusion pulling his brows together. Lucy watched his golden eyes travel down her neck to the small wound he'd inflicted on her, then snap back up to meet her own chocolate gaze.

"... What?"

"Isn't that my line?" Lucy asked, more perplexed than frightened.

"I don't… What just happened?"

"To put it frankly, you bit me."

Jackal frowned, "Well, that's new… Sorry, are you hurt?"

"I'm alright. Here, let me up and I'll start on dinner. We can talk about this after."

"Okay," Lucy left the demon on the couch, where he was surely pondering the recent events. Once they'd finished dinner, he admitted that he didn't know what had come over him, just that the thought of specifically Tearsa's scent on her had made him uneasy and had acted as a catalyst in his own territorial instincts.

* * *

The week passed in a fairly routine blur. Lucy got up and made breakfast, went to work, came home, made dinner and went to bed. There had been no other incidents with Jackal, and the dynamic between the two of them was as normal. The blond was locking the shop Friday evening when she noticed a familiar presence behind her. She turned and once again found herself in the aura of unease that one Falcon Tearsa seemed to exude at all times.

"Good evening, Miss Heartfilia."

"Hello," Lucy replied slowly.

"Good that you've been looking after the shop for Ghost. She won't be in for a few days more."

Lucy's eyes narrowed, "Is she alright?"

Falcon shrugged, "More or less. She needs to rest. Don't you worry about her though; I'll take good care of her. Well then, have a good night."

"Wait!" Lucy reached out and stopped the man with a hand around his wrist, "Where is she?"

"I'm looking after her at my home. There's no need for such concern, she merely used too much magic on our job," Falcon smiled reassuringly, but Lucy knew instinctively that he was lying.

"Is that so? Well, thank you for looking after her," Lucy bowed formally before heading to her stop.

"You have that asshole's scent on you again," Jackal muttered as soon as she stepped in the door.

"Yeah, I know. I did that on purpose. I need you to track him."

Jackal raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"He has Ghost."

"Oh. Ohh, that's probably not good," Jackal grabbed her hand and pressed his nose against her palm inhaling deeply, "I really hate this guy's scent," He whined, "But I can track him. Let's go."

Jackal's keen nose lead them into a residential district just outside the main city. It was a fairly high-income area, Lucy guessed, if the size and grandeur of the buildings was any indication. Jackal paused, sniffing at the air for a few moments before nodding and heading further down the street. He stopped at a stonework mansion that stood imposingly behind a wrought-iron gate, "This is the place."

"Alright, can you give me a boost?"

"I could just blow it up," Jackal suggested with a grin.

"We can let him know we're here, you can blow something up later."

"Promise?"

Lucy groaned, "Yes. We'll go to a quarry or something tomorrow. Right now we need to rescue Ghost."

"Yeah, yeah. C'mere," Jackal tossed her easily over the gate before climbing over himself.

"The door's… Unlocked?" Lucy frowned slightly at the now open door.

"Well, that's not suspicious at all," Jackal quipped, "I'll go first. I should be able to sniff him out pretty- Ah, shit."

"What? Jackal, what's-"

"You don't waste any time, do you, Miss Heartfilia?"

"You were expecting us," Lucy found the silhouette of Falcon leaning against a far doorway.

"That would explained the unlocked door," Jackal muttered.

"Of course. Now then, I assume you're here for Ghost? I'll let you see her, but she's to stay here with me for now."

"Shouldn't she be the one to decide that?" Jackal challenged.

"Her condition prevents her from deciding much of anything," Falcon replied dryly, "Come along."

He lead them down a hallway and into a bedroom. Ghost was laid on the bed, frightfully pale and covered in cuts and-

"Are those… Bite marks?" Lucy asked, staring at the puncture wounds.

"Yes."

"You did this to her?"

"Yes."

Lucy shook her head, "Why?"

"Because she is mine," Falcon snarled, "You could not possibly understand."

"Well, you've got that much right," Lucy snapped, "She's a person, not an object. Open, Gate of the… What?"

"I'm afraid using your magic is not possible right now."

"Then how about a curse," Jackal laughed, sweeping his hand toward the ceiling with the intention of bringing it down on his opponent. Nothing happened.

"I told you, that's not going to work."

"But my curse power is different from magic, I-"

Falcon laughed, "Do you think I'm so weak that my power won't work on one of my own?"

"Your own? You're a demon?" Lucy stared at him.

"Correct, though not one of Zeref's making. And that's why a human like you could never understand the feelings I have for this woman."

Jackal shook his head, "We don't have feelings. It's not possible. We operate on a higher level than-"

"Don't be so naive. We demons are not so different from humans. We breathe. We bleed. We love. We hate."

"Then, Ghost…"

"That's right. I love her. And I hate her for it."

"What the fuck?" Jackal snapped, "How can it be both?"

Falcon smirked, "You really are new to this, aren't you? I was free. I could do whatever the hell I wanted. Then this perfect creature came into my life and I was nothing before her. How dare she conquer me so easily? I was hers with nothing more than a smile! I resented that she could control my heart so simply. I tried to kill her for it, poisoning her as I've done now. But the thought of her eyes closing forever was too much. I couldn't go through with it. I want her. I love her. But I-"

"You are seriously fucked up," Jackal muttered.

"I saved her from my poison, but she pushed me away after that. I deserved it, of course I did… But knowing that my very existence needed her, and knowing that she would never allow it… It drove me mad."

"Yeah, hard pass on the feelings. They make you batshit fucking insane."

"They can," Falcon agreed, "But the way I feel the few times I've been able to hold her have made even this madness worth it. This heart, and these feelings. I resent them and I revel in them. They cannot be considered wholly good or wholly bad, because sometimes they're both, and sometimes they're neither… As Ghost herself once told you," He nodded at Lucy.

"You knew about that?!"

"I was never far from her. How do you think she knew the 'friend' you were referring to was a demon if not for having dealt with one herself?"

Lucy shook her head vigorously, "Ah, whatever. If you really love her, why would you try to kill her?"

"I'm not trying to kill her. Only hurt her."

"How is that any better?!" Jackal snapped.

"You should know. I see your mark on her," Falcon smiled slowly, "You know what its like to be overcome with a bloodlust. A need to taste the object of your obsession's very essence. I could not control it."

"Okay, guilty, but isn't this a little overkill?"

Falcon scoffed, "Don't dare to talk to me about overkill, Jackal. You once obliterated whatever and whomever you wanted for your own amusement. Imagine, for a moment, that you were not allowed to touch Miss Heartfilia here save for rare encounters. You could not simply breathe her scent to remind yourself of her presence. Tell me then, how you would control the instinct to mark her and make her unable to leave your side when the opportunity presented itself."

"I- Fuck."

"I thought as much. She won't die. I won't allow it to go that far. But I cannot allow her to leave, either."

"Remove the poison."

Falcon raised an eyebrow at Lucy, "And who are you to be giving orders?"

"I'm someone that cares about her. And if you care even half as much as you claim to, you'll remove the poison. It's not necessary."

"If I do, will you leave us?"

Lucy ground her teeth a moment before nodding, "Yes."

Falcon nodded back before leaning over Ghost and murmuring something, brushing noses with her. Immediately, some color returned to her, and her breathing became less shallow. Her eyebrows pulled together, but she forced her eyes open anyway.

"Ghost!"

"Lucy?" The older woman's voice was a little hoarse.

"We had a deal," Falcon reminded the blond, "Leave. Now."

"You… You poisoned me again."

"Ghost, I-" Falcon squeezed his eyes shut, "I'm sorry. I am. I just… Please, stay here for a little while. Let me explain myself. Please, don't run away again."

Jackal sighed, "Actually, that might be good. Hear him out, at least… If he tries anything, I'll definitely blow him up!"

"You know I can just block your curse power again, right?"

"Sh-shut up!"

Lucy looked to Ghost, "I did give my word, but will you be okay?"

Ghost tried to sit up, but her body refused and she flopped back onto the bed uselessly, "Not like I have much choice right now anyway," She huffed, "Fine. I'll at least listen to what you have to say. Lucy, Jackal, thanks for coming after me."

"Okay… See you soon?" Lucy wasn't especially keen about leaving Ghost in Falcon's questionable care, but her promises were absolute. She and Jackal exited the mansion and headed for home in silence.

"So this whole time, I actually was feeling things," Jackal muttered from his place on the couch.

"I'd figured it was something like that," Lucy admitted, "Though bringing it up was another matter altogether."

Jackal sighed, "I kind of get where he was coming from. If I couldn't reassure myself that you were safe and that I was part of your life… I don't know how I'd deal with that. I mean, shit, I bit you because I smelled another demon on you, how the fuck would I react if I had to stay away from you more times than not…"

"Is that why he went overboard, do you think?"

"Yeah. I mean, we demons are really territorial by nature. That side of him probably wanted to make damn sure that she was his… And that she knew it."

Lucy frowned, "And… Do you feel that way about me?"

Jackal swallowed hard, "Y-yeah. I'm fucking crazy about you. I want to hold you, I want to mark you, and yeah, there's a part of me that wants to hurt you too… Not that much, though! Just enough to make you whimper and beg me to make it better… Great, now _I_ sound fucked up."

Lucy giggled, "Well, you _are_ a demon… Hey, Jackal? Can I try something?"

"Hm? Yeah, sure, I guess. What are you trying?"

Lucy simply smiled sweetly in response, situating herself in his lap once more and resting her forehead against his.

"Uh, what are you doing? Is this what you wanted to t-"

Lucy pressed her lips against his, silencing him. He froze for a few moments, not entirely sure how to respond. Finally though, he kissed her back, tilting his head experimentally to deepen the exchange. They broke apart for a second before he crashed his lips back against hers with a deep growl. Lucy mewled softly as his tongue pushed into her mouth and brushed against her own. When the need for air became too great to ignore, Jackal let her pull away, though his hands were still locked on her hips, keeping her in place, "Holy shit. That needs to be a thing we do more often."

Lucy nodded, having been robbed of words and the breath required to speak them. Instead, she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"I want you with me tonight," Jackal murmured quietly as he lifted her into his arms and made for his bedroom. He placed the girl gently on the bed, leaning in for another kiss before slipping beneath the covers beside her and pulling her close. Lucy smiled and relaxed against him, "Goodnight, Jackal."

"Night, Lucy."

For as much that had just changed between the two, it was encouraging that not everything had.

* * *

Hey, look! Progress! Still hoping for some more trial readers for my book, but that aside, please leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter!

I've been asked about my uploading schedule, and unfortunately, there isn't one. I do work two jobs, so sometimes I don't have the time or energy to write much. That said, the last two chapters of this story are planned, so they should come pretty quickly. Cheers!


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